For Good
by LadeeBear
Summary: Who can say if I've been changed for the better? Post 3x02 and 3x03. [Oneshot]


**Hey everyone! I am back from a long hiatus. It was fall break last week and I was in Brazil on a mission's trip, and this past week was Homecoming week, so life has just been insanely crazy between everything that I have to do. But I have found time to create a little one-shot that I hope you all enjoy. No worries – "Chasing Hope" will be updated…eventually. LOL. For now, just sit tight and tell me what you think of this idea, mmkay? **

Title: _For Good_

Author: _LadeeBear_

Rating: _K_

Summary: _Just a little something that I had in my head after watching 3x03 (which made my little shipper heart break). _

Disclaimer: _Anything that you recognize is not mine. Anything that you do – don't steal it, because I more than likely made it up. And the title is from the song 'For Good' from Wicked, the musical. Also, the lyrics in the story are from it._

Spoilers: _3x02 and 3x03._

_Because I knew you, I have been changed for good._

The young woman crossed her smooth, slender legs – right leg across left – and shifted slightly in her seat. The long, flowing skirt of her sleek black dress gracefully fell over her knees and brushed the floor. She sat up straight in her chair, back arched elegantly, as she surveyed the dimly lit restaurant. It was a hole-in-the-wall place, with candles set in the center of dainty little tables with a faint odor of flowers and a stringed quartet playing somewhere overhead.

And she wondered why he had chosen this place to meet her.

And she wondered why he was late.

The woman shook her head as the waiter offered her more wine. Sipping the glass that she picked up with her pristine hand, the woman stared out of the window, where she could see sunset falling over the New York apartment buildings. She set her glass down and tucked a strand of brilliantly blonde hair behind her ear. Sighing, she checked her watch.

It was 7:29, and he was twenty-nine minutes late.

The woman's gaze was now focused on a couple seated nearby. The woman at the table wore a dazzling diamond ring – engaged, no doubt. She was flashing a radiant smile at the man seated across from her. The couple was holding hands, their fingers laced together in a form of affection, a form of intimacy, of love.

The hand struck the half hour, and still there was no sign of him. She wondered if he had stood her up. If so, she was going to…

Oh, but when he was exactly thirty minutes late, he walked through the door. The woman at the table uncrossed her legs and rose to her feet, smoothing out her black halter dress. The man removed his jacket and smiled upon seeing the woman, gave her a warm kiss on the cheek and embraced her in a soft hug. The pair smiled and was seated at the table, while the string quartet was replaced with a jazzier ensemble.

"I'm so sorry that I'm late…" the man began, running a hand through his short mousy hair. The woman dismissed his apology with a wave of her perfectly manicured hand.

"Not a problem. I assumed that you got held up at work," she answered, giving him a forgiving glance. The man smiled gratefully, and fixed his attention on the woman seated across from him at the table.

"Lily, you look stunning," he said with a smile and a twinkle from behind his glasses. The woman beamed and her golden eyes flashed with pride.

"Thank you very much Danny."

The woman studied her companion for a moment. He was, no doubt, a very handsome man. He worked as a CSI in the city, so he was well-built and strong. He had incredible blue eyes, which revealed everything about his personality. And though he could be stubborn, Lily thought with a faint smile tugging at her crimson lips, he was a soft man at heart.

Lily propped her elbows up on the table, and laced her fingers together. Leaning forward, she rested her chin in her fingers. Danny eyed her suspiciously.

"So, we haven't really eaten out in a while, but I must commend you on your excellent choice of dining."

Danny let out a soft laugh and surveyed the restaurant, before fixing his attention on Lily. "Well, Mac suggested it. And if _he _suggests something…"

"…then you _know _that he must have asked Stella first," Lily finished with a grin. Danny chuckled.

"Touché," he remarked with a cheeky grin. "But, in all honesty…you like this place, right?"

Lily's eyes darted around the room as she nodded her head approvingly. "Yes, I do like it."

"Good," Danny replied, leaning back in his chair. Lily unfolded her hands and mimicked her companion's action, crossing her arms over her chest. She stared at Danny for a moment before he gave her a puzzled look.

"What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

Lily smirked. "Can't I just sit and wonder why I took off of work tonight to sit at a little restaurant where I almost got stood up?"

Danny sighed. "I'm sorry again Lily…"

Lily shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. "It's not a problem, like I said. But, you know…I just wonder. We haven't really gone out anywhere _champagne and pasta_-ish for a while. Usually it's more of _beer and pizza_-ish. Why the sudden change?"

Danny wrung the white napkin in his hands and let out a deep sigh. As he was about to open his mouth to speak, the chorus of "Collide" interrupted him. Lily furrowed her eyebrows in confusion and dug in her purse for the cell phone.

"Hello? Oh yes…Joshua…I'm so glad to hear from you…yes…yes I am…oh, no I would most definitely be able to make that…okay…that sounds wonderful…thank you so much…I will do that. Goodbye."

Danny smiled slightly. "Joshua?"

Lily rolled her eyes slightly and laughed. "Yes, it's about the third time he's called today."

Danny shook his head and smiled broader. "He's got it bad for you, doesn't he?"

Lily smiled sheepishly and took a sip of her wine, placing her purse back onto the floor. "Yes, yes he does," she replied without a hint of hesitation in her voice. The beautiful young woman studied her companion's face and shook her head.

"Alright, Danny…out with it. What's plaguing you?"

Danny returned to fiddling with his napkin. "What makes you say that something is _plaguing _me?" he asked her, avoiding Lily's eyes. The young woman merely pursed her lips and leaned forward, staring at Danny square in the eye.

"Daniel Messer, I could probably be at the office right now, or out on assignment, cracking a story wide open, but instead, when I got your phone call that you needed to talk to me, I decided to drop that and come down here to meet you. And now, you won't even tell me why you brought me here for…"

"It's about Lindsay."

Danny met the gaze of his companion and sighed. "It's about Lindsay," he repeated, sadness etched in the depth of his New York accent. Lily tilted her head to the side, studying the man.

"Lindsay? As in Lindsay Monroe…your Lindsay 'Montana' Monroe? That one?"

Danny sighed. "One in the same."

Lily's brows knit together in confusion. "What about her?"

Danny was silent for longer than a moment and Lily intervened.

"You don't…oh no wait…you _don't_…"

Lily's golden eyes widened and her mouth parted, perfect lips forming a soft 'Oh'. The young woman looked sympathetically at her companion and reached across the table to put a soothing hand atop his.

"You can tell me," she vowed, watching Danny heave yet another sigh. Lily rolled her eyes. "But you need to actually _tell _me first. Sweetie, I am your _sister_ – not a mind reader."

Danny looked up, blue orbs fixed on Lily's golden irises.

"It started out when I first met her…"

"…we've been through this story a million times before, Danny," Lily remarked matter-of-factly. "I know that you teased and taunted her…"

"…yeah, that's true, but…"

"…and then you slowly developed a crush on her, which Sid so daintily let slip to her when you were both working that mermaid case…"

"…true again, but then…"

"…and then," Lily continued, removing her hand from its position on top of Danny's, "there was the bombing incident last year where you freaked out because you thought she was in that building…"

"…yeah, but can I say something about…" Danny attempted to interject.

"…about the fact that you offered her that ride home later on? Well, you told me about that…how she just cried in the car ride to her apartment and how you were numb and couldn't think of anything to say to comfort her…did I miss any of the highlights?"

Danny sighed, this time out of sheer frustration, as he handed his menu to the waiter. Lily mimicked his motion and did the same, before turning her attention back to her older brother.

"This time…something happened," Danny began. He paused for a moment to gather his thoughts. "Actually, two _something_s happened."

Lily twirled a strand of her hair around her index finger and motioned for Danny to continue. The man took a deep breath and began.

"A few weeks ago, we were working a jewelry store robbery case…"

"…I heard about that. Jenna covered the story. She said that…"

Danny threw his sister 'the look', and the younger woman held up her hands apologetically. "Sorry, sorry," she said, waving her hands around. "Please, continue."

"Montana and I worked the case, and eventually she needed to go into an apartment building to try and save a hostage by doubling as her friend Beth…but it went wrong…the guy found out that she wasn't Beth…he had a gun to and shoved it in her face…and all I could think of was 'Oh God, I'll never see her again'. So, when I found out she was made, I ran into the building…"

"Was she alright?" Lily asked, eyes widening. Danny nodded his head.

"She dropped a smoke bomb that was hidden in her bag…it went off and she managed to grab the hostage and get her safely on the floor…but the apartment was smoky when I came in with Stella and Flack…I couldn't see her, so I just kept calling out her name…"

"Montana?" Lily asked with her head cocked to the side carefully.

"No," Danny said dismissively, "I just kept calling 'Lindsay!' and finally, I heard this soft voice and I knew it was hers. And then I just…held her. I thanked God that she was alright, and just…didn't want to let her go."

"Ah," said Lily with a shifty smile, "so it's finally happened."

"What?" Danny asked with a puzzled glance at his sister. "What's finally happened?"

Lily's smile remained on her lips, but she waved her hand impatiently at Danny. "I'll tell you in a minute. Finish up the story first, please."

The waiter brought their orders and between bites, Danny continued. "But recently…things have just gotten weird between us. I asked her out, and she agreed…"

"That _is _weird," Lily remarked sarcastically. Danny glared at her, and then proceeded to finish his sentence.

"…but then she stood me up."

"Really?" Lily asked incredulously. She couldn't imagine how a woman so attracted to Danny could possibly stand him up.

"So, I confronted her, ya know, and asked her what was going on between us," he continued.

"And what did she say?" Lily asked, twirling angel hair pasta on her fork. Danny's eyes grew dark, not out of anger, but out of sorrow. He fixed his gaze on a spot behind Lily's shoulder, and responded quietly.

"She said that she likes me…" Danny stabbed a piece of chicken parmesan with his fork before proceeding. "…a lot. But she has things she needs to work out in her life, things that she thought she had put behind her…she told me that we should probably just do our jobs…"

"…and I come in, where, exactly?" Lily asked curiously.

"You," Danny stated, "are a woman. A woman who happens to know a heck of a lot about life…more than she should. So, I figured maybe you could…"

"…I could," Lily responded, staring at her brother with sympathy. Danny's eyes urged his companion to continue, so she did. "It seems to me that it has finally happened."

"_What_ has finally happened?" Danny asked a bit impatiently. Lily rolled her eyes at her brother's impatient attitude.

"You've finally fallen in love."

There was a silence between the two which was filled with the gentle clinking of wine glasses and the endless stream of romantic symphonies played from overhead. Danny furrowed his eyebrows, blinking. Finally he removed his glasses, wiped them on his shirt, and addressed his sister.

"I've finally…what?"

Lily smiled. "Fallen in love, doofus. There is no other explanation for it. Now, there is a way to tell if you are truly in love with Lindsay, so let's answer these simple questions, shall we?"

Danny nodded with a slight roll of his eyes. His sister, Lily Messer would be forever the journalist.

"One: do you want to protect her and care for her?"

"Yes," he answered back slowly. Lily nodded approvingly.

"Good. Question number two: do you think about her even when you are not with her?"

"Yes."

"Nice choice," Lily remarked, smiling. "Question three: would you give your life for her?"

"Yes." That answer was without hesitation or pause. Lily nodded, thoughts reeling in her mind. Lindsay Monroe was one special girl, to have won the heart of a person who, a year ago, was a completely different person.

"Question four: agree or disagree with this statement as it applies to Lindsay – _Who can say if I've been changed for the better, but because I knew you, I have been changed for good._" Lily had to beam at her own question. Joshua had just taken her out to see Wicked on Broadway a few months prior.

"Agree," Danny replied, after thinking for a moment. "She's changed me."

"Well, Mr. Messer, congratulations are in order. You are officially in love," Lily responded, beaming and clapping her hands together lightly. Danny licked his lips and smiled a little bit. His smile soon faded though as he spoke.

"Lily," he began shakily, "she walked away from me. She said that she doesn't want a relationship with me…I don't deserve her, Lil…"

Lily cut her brother off. "Oh, no, no, no," she corrected him, "there is something much deeper to that woman than meets the eye. She admitted to liking you, Danny, but there is something evidently holding her back. Some demon from her past has come back to haunt her and to stalk her…who knows what that demon is…but you have to understand that, from all that you have told me, she cares about you. She truly, truly does. It's just that she's terrified of losing you, for whatever the reason."

Danny nodded along with the conversation. "That makes sense, Lily…"

"…all you have to do, sweetie, is wait for her."

Danny nodded solemnly.

"From everything that you have told me about her, Danny," Lily finished, wearing a genuine smile on her lips, "she is worth the wait."

"She is," he whispered softly. "God, I just never thought I would ever be this…this…"

"…this _affected _by a woman?" Lily concluded, laughing slightly. Danny nodded his agreement and continued to eat his meal.

"I know how you feel, Danny. I never thought I would ever love someone until I met Joshua…"

Danny smiled. "You two are good for each other."

"As are you and Lindsay," Lily replied, sipping her wine. Danny managed a sad smile and nodded.

"Thank you."

Lily looked up from her plate at her brother. "For what?"

"For being there for me," he replied simply. "Thank you for taking care of me and looking out for me even though _I'm_ supposed to be the one looking after _you_."

Lily shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. "Hey, it's what siblings do. We help each other out."

Danny could only nod and continue to eat his food.

Lily watched her brother carefully as she picked at her food. He was a different man than years prior. Sure, his arrogance and annoying side sometimes revealed itself. And yes, it was true that he could be insanely stubborn and egotistical at times. But something about Danny Messer was different. And the only difference was inwardly – his heart had been changed.

And Lily smiled, knowing that she had a girl from Montana to thank for that.

**So, how many of you were thrown off by thinking that Lily was Danny's girlfriend at first? Good, if you did. Haha. That was my goal. Well, I hope you enjoyed this little ficlet. Please R&R. Hit da button that says 'Submit Review' and tell me what you think!**


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